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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00071 Dec 2003

 
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Dear friends,

(4) "nAnggaLUm mArgazhi neerAda maguzhndhu.."

The (first-person-plural) expression "nAngalLUm.." in
this verse, literally means "even we?". It is
suggestive of the essentially democratic character
that the 'satsangh' of milkmaids in the TiruppAvai
possessed. 

True "satsangh" is an "open society"? it is a conclave
open to all God-seekers irrespective of individual
qualification or worth. Everyone is welcome to join
'satsangh'? even poor, "spiritually naïve" and
unschooled souls such as humble cowgirls from the
"aayarpAdi"?  The TiruppAvai calls them
"ariyAda-pillaigaL". 

The lesson here is: Even the lowliest of the world
must be allowed admission into and embraced by a
'satsangh'. (There is no such thing in the world as an
"elite" "satsangh". There are really no "country club
retreats" to which "VIP devotees" may wish to
leisurely retire over the weekend to indulge their
pious airs or righteous pretension.)     

(5) "tUyOmaay vandu-nAm ?"

This expression is very suggestive of the inner purity
of the soul of a 'satsangh'. A true 'satsangh'
possesses power to render even the grossest of men
into pure and tranquil souls? "tUyOmaay nAm?" 

The purity of the serene mind is what is hailed as
"nishchala-chitta" -- the exalted state of Bhakti the
verse from Sankara's "bhaja-gOvindam" we saw earlier
spoke about. All God-seekers yearn for "tUymai" all
their lives. They long to rid themselves of the dirt
of delusion and the grime of earthly bondage which the
human spirit naturally and effortlessly collects in
simply going through the business of daily living in
this world.("nirmOhatvam" and "nissangatvam", Sankara
calls it). And "satsangh" is the best means they can
find to wash and cast it all off.

Just as pieces of soiled clothes, when soaked, slaked,
rinsed, tumble-washed, thrashed, washed, speed-spun
and tumble-dried inside an automatic washing machine,
finally eject out altogether as spotlessly white and
clean pieces? so do men with soiled minds and defiled
spirit who willingly go into "satsangh" and choose to
live amidst it and throw in their fate with it... they
too emerge pure and serene --- "tUyOmAy vandu nAm..".
  
The statement about Purity in the soul of a 'satsangh'
is also found in Stanza 16 of the TiruppAvai in the
phrase "tUyOmaay vandOm?".  

(6) "ullathukkondu munivargaLUm yOgigaLUm
mella-ezhundhu ariyenra pEr-aravam ullam pUgUndhu?"

This is one of AndAl's finest and most imaginative
expressions indeed! 

The phrase immediately evokes impressions in our minds
of a large 'satsangh' of ascetics and hermits
---"munivargaLUm yOgigaLUm" i.e. yogis and 'muni-s'
immersed in the private bliss of deep, meditative
slumber. 

Without meaning any disrespect to them, "munis" and
"yOgis" are what one may call "lone wolves" of the
spiritual world. They like to hunt for God all on
their own. They shun human company and even when they
are compelled to live amongst ordinary men, they
prefer not to interact too much with their fellowmen.
They prefer solitude to company and "mowna" (silence)
to the ceaseless "small talk" of common humanity.
(That's why one finds, even in this day and times,
that there is no dearth of "mowna-muni-s" or
"mum-monks" of all hue and denomination amidst the
crowded metros and cities of India!). 

Yet, as this expression seeks to gently convey, even
such severe ascetics and monks, do awaken now and then
from the bliss of yogic sleep or silence, and shedding
their natural reserve and reticence, begin to behave
in the manner of a merry 'satsangh' -- ecstatically
crying out the names of God: "Hari! Hari!" ? as in
"ari-yenra pEr aravam?".  

If the sternest of yogis and the severest of ascetics
cannot resist the temptation of fraternizing with a
'satsangh', why should we ordinary souls shy away?
Such is the meaning we may derive from this verse.    

                 **************
               (to be continued)

Regards,

dAsan,
Sudarshan







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